The Faith Album -- part 2
Last week we started a series of blog entries regarding various kinds of faith and talked specifically about “great faith.” I encourage you to go back to our previous entry if you have not yet read it so that you do not miss even one page of our Faith Album! Today let’s look at three other types of faith: Little Faith, Weak Faith, and Strong Faith.
LITTLE FAITH
As we now turn the page in our album of faith, we find the next type depicted: “little faith.” Little faith is the opposite of great faith, as it is a faith led and controlled by circumstances and our senses. Little faith gives in quickly to fear. The word “little” implies the meaning of small, stunted, microscopic, miniature, or pocket-sized.
Little faith is restricted by limitations. It does not hold when circumstances change. Peter the disciple thought he had tremendous faith until he faced danger, and then all his faith was gone. Brave enough to try walking on water, Peter stepped out of the boat to meet Jesus. He even walked on the water for a few seconds, but when the wind came, he panicked and sank.
We read in the Word that Jesus reached out His hand as Peter began to sink and caught him. “And immediately Jesus stretched out His hand and caught him, and said to him, O you of little faith, why did you doubt?” (Matthew 14: 31 NKJV)
Doubting occurs to most of us when circumstances appear more overwhelming than our faith. Whenever we jump out of the ordinary and expect the extraordinary, we need to remember Peter and try to remain strong in our faith. If not, we will fall into little faith and collapse under the pressure.
WEAK FAITH
The next type of faith we see in turning the page of our faith album is called “weak faith.” Weak faith is when we cannot sustain our faith. The forces of life, nature, or other conditions begin to weigh heavily upon us, and our faith weakens.
In chapter four of Romans, it says that Abraham did not weaken in faith. He knew what the facts were. He knew the odds in the natural sense were not on his side, yet he did not weaken.
Romans 4: 9-21 (NKJV)
9 Does this blessedness then come upon the circumcised only, or upon the uncircumcised also? For we say that faith was accounted to Abraham for righteousness. 10 How then was it accounted? While he was circumcised, or uncircumcised? Not while circumcised, but while uncircumcised. 11 And he received the sign of circumcision, a seal of the righteousness of the faith which he had while still uncircumcised, that he might be the father of all those who believe, though they are uncircumcised, that righteousness might be imputed to them also, 12 and the father of circumcision to those who not only are of the circumcision, but who also walk in the steps of the faith which our father Abraham had while still uncircumcised.
13 For the promise that he would be the heir of the world was not to Abraham or to his seed through the law, but through the righteousness of faith. 14 For if those who are of the law are heirs, faith is made void and the promise made of no effect, 15 because the law brings about wrath; for where there is no law there is no transgression.
16 Therefore it is of faith that it might be according to grace, so that the promise might be sure to all the seed, not only to those who are of the law, but also to those who are of the faith of Abraham, who is the father of us all 17 (as it is written, “I have made you a father of many nations”) in the presence of Him whom he believed—God, who gives life to the dead and calls those things which do not exist as though they did; 18 who, contrary to hope, in hope believed, so that he became the father of many nations, according to what was spoken, “So shall your descendants be.”
19 And not being weak in faith, he did not consider his own body, already dead (since he was about a hundred years old), and the deadness of Sarah’s womb. 20 He did not waver at the promise of God through unbelief, but was strengthened in faith, giving glory to God, 21 and being fully convinced that what He had promised He was also able to perform.
Abraham had remained in faith through many trials, through his physical aging, and through life’s circumstances, never growing weak in faith. Can you imagine the years going by, knowing the aging changes that were going on in your own body and your wife’s? You and others could definitely see you and your wife were getting older, yet the Lord’s promise was that you would be the father of many nations!
I have a dear friend who waited on God for a husband for twenty-four years. Her first husband left her after she became a Christian. He did not want anything to do with Jesus or her newfound Christianity. This friend of mine then received a word from the Lord that God would give her a Boaz someday. She bought pictures about the story of Boaz in the Bible, studied the book of Ruth, and preached on Boaz and Ruth whenever she could.
She held on to that word from the Lord for twenty-four years. Then at the age of sixty-two in a “suddenly” moment, “Boaz” came across her path! With this new husband came everything she had lost through her first marriage. Never weakening in faith, her promise was fulfilled. There were times when she almost fell into weak faith. But each time God would encourage and remind her that He was faithful to His promises!
STRONG FAITH
If Abraham did not weaken in faith, that must also mean we have another type of faith to consider. Let’s turn our faith album page and see what this type of faith may be!
“Strong faith” does not waver in unbelief or fall prey to worry. Strong faith is not easily injured or disturbed. It takes strong faith to hold onto God’s promises and wait upon Him for their fulfillment.
Strong faith is needed when our children have strayed from the Lord. It is a time to hold onto the promises of God and stand firm on His Word. When my husband and I were experiencing a challenging time with one of our children, I went to the Lord in prayer, asking Him to give me something so that I could remain strong in faith.
The Holy Spirit showed me a picture of my child sitting on Father God’s lap. She was content, settled, happy, and in His care. From that day on, every time the devil tried to frighten me or put unbelief on me regarding my daughter, I remained strong in faith by holding on to that mental picture of my daughter and the Father. To me it was a promise from God. Within three years that picture became a reality. Today my daughter is serving the Lord in full time ministry!
As we close this week Mothers of Nations, let’s be those who are remembered and pictured on the pages of our spiritual faith albums as those of strong faith!
Dr. Sharon Predovich
